Hopper vehicle construction

ABSTRACT

A vehicle hopper construction having a hopper end slope sheet, upright vertical web and flat lower shear plate forming a torsion box design in the area of the side girder of the car to reduce torsional stresses to the coupler forces, where said shear plate may be bowed upwardly in gull wing design for coupling the center sill to the side sill to reduce the depth of the side girders and wherein the slope sheet may be bowed inwardly or the bolster web may be bowed outwardly to increase the cross-sectional area of the torsion box and thereby reduce the stresses upon it due to coupler force.

I United States Patent 13557313 [72] inventors John H. Spence [56]References Cited Chicago Heights; William Van Der Sluys, Homewood, Ill.2 140 268 12/ S23 13 STATES PATENTS 105,406 I A LN 739 19 05S {32% FiYSdJune 24, 1968 3,253,556 /1966 Glaser et al..... 105/406 patented Jam 26,1971 3,339,499 9/1967 Charles et a1. 105/409 sign e Pullman incorporatedPrimary Examiner-Arthur L. LaPoint I Chlwgo, Assistant ExaminerRichardA. Bertsch a corporation Delaware Attorneys-Hilmond O. Vogel and WayneMorris Russell ABSTRACT: A vehicle hopper construction having a hopperend slope sheet, upright vertical web and flat lower shear plate [54] Fx g f (igNSTRUCTION forming a torsion box design in the area of the sidegirder of alms rawmg the car to reduce torsional stresses to the couplerforces, [52] US. Cl 105/404, Where said shear plate may be bowedupwardly in gull wing 405/406, 105/409, 105/410 design for Coupling thecenter sill to the side sill to reduce the [51] Int. Cl B6lf 1/00, epthof the side girders and wherein the slope sheet may be B6lf l/lO bowedinwardly or the bolster web may be bowed outwardly Field of Search /157,to increase the cross-sectional area of the torsion box and therebyreduce the stresses upon it due to coupler force.

Y PATENTEUJA M26|97I $557,713

INVENTORS JOHN H. SPENCE WILLIAM VAN DER SLUYS ATT'Y PATENTED JAN26 l97|SHEET 2 BF 7 INVENTORS JOHN H. SPENCE ,WI IAM VAN DER SLUYS BY ATT'Y;

PATENTED JAN26 I971 SHEET 3 [IF 7 IN VE N TORS JOHN H. SPENCE W/L M VANDER SLUYS ATT'Y.

PATENTED JAN28 I97! sum 5 OF 7 INVENTORS JOHN H. SPENCE VAN DER S LU Y3flwgx F ATT 'Y.

PATENTED JAN26 l9?! SHEET 6 [IF 7 INVEN TORS JOHN H. SPENCE WILLIAM VANDER SLUYS BY WKL/ M A T T Y.

PATENTED JAN 26 |97| SHEET 7 UF 7 INVENTORS JOHN H. SPENCE VAN DER SLUYSHOPPER VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The field of art to which this invention pertains is hoppervehicles and in particular to railroad hopper cars having a combinationend torque box arrangement between the stub center sill and the hopperslope sheet at each end of the car.

2. Description of the Prior Art Attachment of center sills of thestraight through or stubsill-type to the hoppers of the hopper car is,of course, wellknown in the art but the side girders of the car have adepth extending down to the height of the center sill providing forunnecessary use of side girder material and increasing the weight of thecar and thereby reducing the amount of freight material carried by thecar, for, a lighter weight car can carry more freight weight than aheavier car for the same amount of total weight of car plus weight oflading carried. It is, therefore, desired to save the use of unnecessaryside girder material and yet maintain torsion box efficiency or to keepplate thickness minimal, and yet absorb end coupler forces withoutdamage to the car. A saving in car weight is a saving in fuel or motivepower, as larger loads can be hauled for the same amount of motive poweror fuel. It is these problems involved in the prior art which are solvedby the applicant's invention.

SUMMARY The invention has for its principal object an improved vehicleor car construction which reduces the depth of the car side girders bythe use of a gull wing design'connection between the end portions of thecenter sill arrangement of the car, whether through or stub center sill,and the car side sill construction. The invention further provides foran improved torsion or torque box construction to reduce stresses on theelements of the torque box, namely, the end slope sheet, the bolster webor upright end wall portion, and the shear plate connecting with theside sill construction. The improved torque box construction relies onincreased torque box area by bowing the slope sheet in, or bowing thebolster web outwardly and yet maintain the desired 45 or less of the endslope for lading dumping. The gull wing arrangement saves on post andside sheet material of the side girder construction. These and otherobjects of the invention will become apparent from reference to thefollowing description, appended claims and attached drawings, to wit:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 through 4 are each full sideviewp perspective end view, partial side view and end view,respectively, of one embodiment of the novel hopper car arrangement;

FIGS. through 7 are each perspective view, partial side view, and endview, respectively, of a second modification of the novel hopper cararrangement; and

FIGS. 8 through are each perspective view, partial side view and endview, respectively, of still another modification of the novel inventivehopper car construction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference now to thedrawings, it is seen that there are three modifications of an endconstruction of a hopper railroad car as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, 5through 7, and 8 through 10. Where like features exist in each of theembodiments the same reference characters will be used. For example, inall instances there is shown a hopper car 2. Each of the modified cars 2is provided with atop portion 4 (including a roof 4a and hopper hatches4b) having top sideplates 5 and bottom side sills 6 and side sheetings 7and side posts 64 to define both side girders 8 spaced apart from oneanother to define the usual sidewalls of the hopper 2. In thearrangements shown there is provided end stub central sills 10 (with top10a, sides 10b) provided with center plate construction 11 for trucks12. End walls 13 connect with each of the side girders 8 to define anenclosed hopper car which is provided with three hopper sections l4. Theside sills 6 connect with one another through the hopper partitionsheets and the cross ridge members 7b. In all three embodiments there isprovided a longitudinally extending shear plate means 15 ofa gull wingconfiguration having a flat horizontal, longitudinally extending,central plate portion 15a mounted on the top plate 10a of the end stubcenter sill l0 and extending therealong to its inner end and a pair ofopposite laterally extending upwardly sloping gull wing or shear plateportions 15b, the shear plate portions 15b each at their outer lateralends being connected with a respective side sill 6 of the car. Theconstruction of the upright end wall portion or bolster web and slopesheet design varies in each of the embodiments as will presently bediscussed.

The end walls 13 of the first modification shown in FIGS. I through 4are each defined by a transverse flat upper vertical wall portion 17connecting with the roof 4a and the sideplates 5 and the side sheeting 7of the side girder 8. A slope sheet member 18 is connected to andextends from the vertical end wall 17 downwardly and inwardly to thebottom of the end hopper 14, the inner end of top plate 10a of thecentral stub sill 10 extending toward the slope sheet 18. A flatvertical or upright end sheet portion or bolster web 19 has its loweredges sloped to conform and to engage with the upper surfaces of theplate sections 15a and 15b of the gull wing design, the upper terminallaterally extending edge of the bolster web 19 terminating along theflat surface of the slope sheet 18 intermediate the connection of theslope sheet 18 with the end sheet portion 17 and the connection of theinner part of the shear plate 15 with the slope sheet portion 18defining a slope sheet 20 of a torsion box arrangement 25. The torsionbox 25 is defined by the intersection of the surfaces of the gull wingshear plate 15 with the bolster web 19 and the slope sheet section 20.The longitudinal cross-sectional area of the triangularly shaped torsionbox 25 is greatest in longitudinal vertical sections taken through theend stub sill l0 and least in longitudinal vertical sections taken atthe side girders 8. This is because of the gull wing construction. Thegull wing construction allows for using less side girder constructionand therefore allowing the car to be of lighter weight. Triangularshaped longitudinally extended gusset plates or diaphragms 26 lie alongand extend upwardly from the longitudinal ends of the center section 15aof the gull wing shear plate 15 and have upright outward facing edgesabutting against the inside surface of the bolster web 19 and haveinward diagonally sloping edges engaging with the outer surface of theflat slope sheet portion 20 which diaphragms 26 transfer the load to thethree plate elements of the torsion box and maintain the geometricalshape of the torsion sections and stiffen the bent shear plate and slopesheet or bolster web. Additional elongated inner gusset elements 27 andshortened outer gusset elements 28 are provided on opposite sides of thebolster web 19 on the sloped gull wing portions 15!) between the sidesills 6 and the diaphragm plates 26 and extend inside the box up shortof the slope sheets and on the outside just a short distance up.Vertically aligned on the underside of the gull wing sections [5b arevertical struts 29 of the stub bolster arrangement 30, the bolsterarrangement 30 providing for central and lateral support over the trucks12. The upright elements 29 are connected by elements 29a to the centersill which elements 29a of the bolster assembly 30 and its webs 29b areconnected to the stub sill 10. All gull wing plate modifications havelateral horizontal longitudinally extending ends 15:: and the side sills6 are L-shaped with the lower horizontal flange extending outwardly, asseen in FIGS. 4, 7 and 10. Thus it is seen that by use of the gull wingdesign, with the reduction in the amount of side girder necessary, theweight of the car is less and, therefore, greater loads may be carriedby the car when considering the total weight of the car plus the load.Consequently, a greater load may be pulled by the same amount of motivepower or fuel by gull winging of the shear plate of the hopper car.

Coupler forces directed at the stub sills cause torsion to occur in thearea of the torsion box. The applied torsion or one half of the couplerforce times the distance from the coupler force to the shear center ofthe triangular beam over twice the area of the torsion box times thethickness of a plate or the plates of the box, such as the bolster web,slope sheet and shear plate, will give us the torsional shear stresswhich with the bending stresses on these components must be kept below acertain value to prevent damage to the torsion box elements of thehopper car. The larger the area of the torque box, the lower thetorsional shear stress of the torque box and, of course, the greatersuch area, the less will be the thickness of the plates defining thetorsion box, that is, the shear, bolster and slope sheet plates. Thearea of the torque or torsion box is the least at the side girders andthe greatest at the stub sills because of the gull winging" effect inFIG. 1-4 embodiment.

The following embodiments increase the area and therefore allow forthinner plate sections or reduced stresses on the torque box by eitherbowing the slope sheet inwardly, as seen in the second embodiment shownin FIGS. 5 through 7, or bowing or turning the upright end portion orbolster web portion outwardly of the car end, as shown in the thirdembodiment in FIGS. 8 through I0. The shear plate extends on both sidesof the bolster plate in all embodiments. In the second modification, theslope sheet 18 comprises a central downwardly sloping plate section 18'awhich presents its surfaces in a slope lying in transverse planes whileits attached lateral side slope sheet portions l8'b are turned inwardlyto extend from the outer central slope sheet portion 118' inwardly toextend to the side girder construction and this results in the upperedges of upper outer laterally extending edges of the bolster web 19' toextend upwardly rather than across in a horizontal straight edge of theFIG. 4 construction. The upward divergent edges l9'a of the bolster web19' is most readily seen in FIG. 7. The top end portion 17 is providedwith lower upwardly sloping lateral edges not shown in the firstconstruction because of the inwardly tapering direction of the slopesheet 18'. Generally elsewise the second embodiment is like the firstembodiment.

In the third embodiment (FIGS. 810), the bolster plate or upright lowerend part 19', when viewed in horizontal cross section, is deflected orbowed outwardly with the central upright plate portion l9"a being a flatupright portion and presenting a transverse elongated straight structurein horizontal cross section with its outer lateral ends being attachedto outwardly extending diverging bolster web end plate portions 19"b,each of which extends rearwardly to the outer ends of the side sill endportions of the side sills 6. The slope sheet 18 and the end top sheet117 are of the same construction as shown in the first embodiment. Theupward sloping edges 19"c of the bolster web 19" occur because thebolster web 19" has its ends 19"!) extending laterally and outwardly tointersect an upwardly and outwardly extending slope sheet 18. This thirdembodiment, like the second embodiment, increases the cross-sectionalarea of the torsion box arrangement at the girders and therefore reducesthe stresses in the torque or torsion box arrangement. The diaphragmelements or gussets 26, 26 are the same in construction, location andsize in all three embodiments since deviation from the first embodimentoccurs only laterally of these diaphragm units whether in the slopesheet (as in the second embodiment) or in the bolster web (thirdembodiment). The ends of the side sills in the third embodiment extendoutwardly of the shear plate. The folding of the bolster web or theslope sheet is at the diaphragm or gussets in the second and thirdembodiments. It will be appreciated that thinner plate sections for thebolster web, shear plate and slope sheet may be used by increasing thearea of the torsion box and also the'increased area lowers the stresswhich should be kept within the strength of material. It is naturallydesirable to maintain the area of the torsion box or triangular beam atthe side girder at least equivalent to the area at the car center whichis the approximate situation in the folding slope sheet or secondembodiment.

It will be appreciated that the shear plate means may extend outwardlyof the bolster and be provided with a transverse stiffener in any of themodifications.

The foregoing description and drawings are given merely to explain andillustrate the invention, and the invention is not to be limitedthereto, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure beforethem will be able to make modifications and variations therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the in vention.

We claim:

1. A hopper vehicle construction comprising:

a pair of longitudinally extending side girders;

each side girder being defined by a plurality of upright side posts andside sheeting mounted on said side posts;

each side girder having an upper longitudinally extending reinforcingside plate connecting with the upper parts of each of the side posts andwith the side sheeting;

each side girder having a lower reinforcing side sill extendinglongitudinally and connecting with the lower end of each of the postsand connecting with the side sheeting; truck means at each vehicle end;

an end construction at each end of the vehicle supported by a respectivetruck means and joining with the side girders and comprising a centralstub sill on the underside of the vehicle and on a respective truckmeans, an underframe transverse bolster structure over each vehicletruck means and connecting with a respective stub sill and with eachside sill, an end wall sloping upward toward each outer end of thevehicle and connecting with each side girder, an upright bolster webmounted over the central stub sill and connecting with each side girderand shear plate means mounted on the upper part of each stub sill andextending laterally thereof and connecting with each respective sidegirder;

said side sills being disposed upwardly and laterally outwardly of eachof said stub sills;

each of said shear plate means comprising a pair of laterally upwardlydiagonally extending shear plate portions connecting each stub sill withthe opposed side sills;

said end wall comprising a slope sheet extending diagonally downward andinward, the slope sheet connecting with the upper portion of the bolsterweb and with the inner end portion of the respective shear plate meansto define a respective torsion box, a torque being applicable thereto bythe coupler force on a respective stub sill.

2. A hopper vehicle construction comprising:

a pair of longitudinally extending spaced apart side girders each havinga lower side sill extending longitudinally;

an end construction at each end of the vehicle joining with the sidegirders and comprising a central longitudinally extending sill portionat each end on the underside of the vehicle;

said side sills being disposed upwardly and outwardly and laterally ofeach of said central sill portions; an end wall sloping upward towardeach respective outer end of the vehicle and connecting with each sidegirder;

an upright transverse bolster web for each sloping end wall extendingupward thereto and connecting with each side girder;

shear plate means mounted on the upper part of each central sill portionand connecting with each side girder;

each of said shear plate means comprising a pair of laterally upwardlydiagonally extending shear plate portions connecting its respectivecentral sill portion with each of the side sills;

said sloping end wall comprising a slope sheet extending diagonallydownward and inward and connecting with the upper portion ofthe bolsterweb and with the inner end of the shear plate means to define with thebolster web and the shear plate means a torsion box, a torque beingapplicable thereto'by the coupler force on a respective central sillportion.

3. The invention according to claim 2, the longitudinal cross-sectionalarea of the torque box being greater along a plane passing through thecentral sill portion than a plane passing through either of the sidegirders.

4. The invention according to claim 2, said shear plate means having apair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced apart gussetstructures within the torsion box and extending upwardly from the shearplate means over the central sill portion and connecting with theupright bolster web and said slope sheet for reinforcement of thetorsion box.

5. The invention according to claim 4, said shear plate means having itslateral portions diverging upwardly and outwardly from said gussetstructures to the side sills.

6. The invention according to claim 2, outer reinforcing elements on thebolster web outside of the torsion box extending upwardly from theupwardly extending portions of the shear plate means and innerreinforcing elements extending upwardly from the upper extendingportions of the shear plate means on the bolster web on the inside ofsaid torsion box and longitudinally aligned with said outer elements.

7 The invention according to claim 4, said gusset structures each havinga longitudinally extending area approximately the cross-sectional areaof the torsion box.

8. A hopper vehicle end construction comprising:

a central longitudinally extending sill portion;

a hopper end slope sheet portion sloping downwardly and inwardly of theend construction;

said end construction having laterally spaced apart longitudinallyextending side girders each including a side sill and each connectingwith the slope sheet portion;

shear plate means mounted on the upper part of the central sill portionand connecting with each of said side sills;

a transverse bolster web joining the shear plate means with the slopesheet portion spaced thereabove and connecting with the side girders;

said shear plate means joining with said slope sheet portion to formwith the bolster web a torsion box;

said shear plate means comprising a generally horizontal central portionconnecting with the central sill portion and having laterally upwardlyand laterally outwardly divergent portions each being connected with arespective side sill; and

said central and laterally upwardly diverging portions defining a gullwing design shear plate means.

9. The invention according to claim 8, upright gusset means in thetorsion box being over the central sill portion for distributing theload into the torsion box and reinforcing the torsion box.

1. A hopper vehicle construction comprising: a pair of longitudinallyextending side girders; each side girder being defined by a plurality ofupright side posts and side sheeting mounted on said side posts; eachside girder having an upper longitudinally extending reinforcing sideplate connecting with the upper parts of each of the side posts and withthe side sheeting; each side girder having a lower reinforcing side sillextending longitudinally and connecting with the lower end of each ofthe posts and connecting with the side sheeting; truck means at eachvehicle end; an end construction at each end of the vehicle supported bya respective truck means and joining with the side girders andcomprising a central stub sill on the underside of the vehicle and on arespective truck means, an underframe transverse bolster structure overeach vehicle truck means and connecting with a respective stub sill andwith each side sill, an end wall sloping upward toward each outer end ofthe vehicle and connecting with each side girder, an upright bolster webmounted over the central stub sill and connecting with each side girderand shear plate means mounted on the upper part of each stub sill andextending laterally thereof and connecting with each respective sidegirder; said side sills being disposed upwardly and laterally outwardlyof each of said stub sills; each of said shear plate means comprising apair of laterally upwardly diagonally extending shear plate portionsconnecting each stub sill with the opposed side sills; said end wallcomprising a slope sheet extending diagonally downward and inward, theslope sheet connecting with the upper portion of the bolster web andwith the inner end portion of the respective shear plate means to definea respective torsion box, a torque being applicable thereto by thecoupler force on a respective stub sill.
 2. A hopper vehicleconstruction comprising: a pair of longitudinally extending spaced apartside girders each having a lower side sill extending longitudinally; anend construction at each end of the vehicle joining with the sidegirders and comprising a central longitudinally extending sill portionat each end on the underside of the vehicle; said side sills beingdisposed upwardly and outwardly and laterally of each of said centralsill portions; an end wall sloping upward toward each respective outerend of the vehicle and connecting with each side girder; an uprighttransverse bolster web for each sloping end wall extending upwardthereto and connecting with each side girder; shear plate means mountedon the upper part of each central sill portion and connecting with eachside girder; each of said shear plate means comprising a pair oflaterally upwardly diagonally extending shear plate portions connectingits respective central sill portion with each of the side sills; saidsloping end wall comprising a slope sheet extending diagonally downwardand inward and connecting with the upper portion of the bolster web andwith the inner end of the shear plate means to define with the bolsterweb and the shear plate means a torsion box, a torque being applicablethereto by the coupler force on a respective central sill portion. 3.The invention according to claim 2, the longitudinal cross-sectionalarea of the torque box being greater along a plane passing through thecentral sill portion than a plane passing through either of the sidegirders.
 4. The invention according to claim 2, said shear plate meanshaving a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced apart gussetstructures within the torsion box and extending upwardly from the shearplate means over the central sill portion and connecting with theupright bolster web and said slope sheet for reinforcement of thetorsion box.
 5. The invention according to claim 4, said shear platemeans having its lateral portions diverging upwardly and outwardly fromsaid gusset structures to the side sills.
 6. The invention according toclaim 2, outer reinforcing elements on the bolster web outside of thetorsion box extending upwardly from the upwardly extending portions ofthe shear plate means and inner reinforcing elements extending upwardlyfrom the upper extending portions of the shear plate means on thebolster web on the inside of said torsion box and longitudinally alignedwith said outer elements.
 7. The invention according to claim 4, saidgusset structures each having a longitudinally extending areaapproximately the cross-sectional area of the torsion box.
 8. A hoppervehicle end construction comprising: a central longitudinally extendingsill portion; a hopper end slope sheet portion sloping downwardly andinwardly of the end construction; said end construction having laterallyspaced apart longitudinally extending side girders each including a sidesill and each connecting with the slope sheet portion; shear plate meansmounted on the upper part of the central sill portion and connectingwith each of said side sills; a transverse bolster web joining the shearplate means with the slope sheet portion spaced thereabove andconnecting with the side girders; said shear plate means joining withsaid slope sheet portion to form with the bolster web a tOrsion box;said shear plate means comprising a generally horizontal central portionconnecting with the central sill portion and having laterally upwardlyand laterally outwardly divergent portions each being connected with arespective side sill; and said central and laterally upwardly divergingportions defining a gull wing design shear plate means.
 9. The inventionaccording to claim 8, upright gusset means in the torsion box being overthe central sill portion for distributing the load into the torsion boxand reinforcing the torsion box.